Just use a bouquet of balloons on the table. At his age he isn't going to know what a theme party is. As far as that goes, I would just serve the cake, ice cream and drink or whatever you plan to serve. At that age the cake is all the kid will care about.

Cheap dollar store animals bunched together in the center of the table. You could buy some Play Doh (or make some) (green or brown for dirt or grass) and stick them in it to hold them "down". Kids don't know what things cost, keep that in mind. I used to decorate my kids cakes this way also. I made (usually) a plain chocolate or vanilla cake and then added cheap "toy" animals in a package for the decorations. I also saved these from year to year and I had a mass of "trees" rocks, etc. to re-use.

That reminds me :) Whole Foods carries (in the bins by the pound) "rock" chocolates. They are not cheap, but you don't have to have many. You could add to cake. (They are delicious and look very much like real rocks) One other thing: DON'T overdo it on a first BD party, either with the amount of children you invite OR you decor, games, etc. It will just be a source of frustration trying to manage it all, and at that age, they don't even know what is going on!

Copy/paste/save/print/cut pics from the 'net of barnyard animals and they can be sized prior to printing. Tack them onto the tablecloth where each child will sit enjoying cake and ice cream. Could be turned into a cheap place mat and use colored paper to print the pic. A copier business can enlarge/laminate the printout for you if you desire. Add a small stuffed animal near each guest's seat and they can take them home with them after the party ends.

My sister in law did the cutest cupcake centerpiece. She had made 50 cupcakes and decorated 1/4 like monkeys, 1/4 like leopards, 1/4 like cats and 1/4 like zebras using necco wafers, licorice, candy hearts, and various other candies. In fact, 3 sister in laws came early to the party to help decorate them and it was so fun and quick as each one of us did our own interpretation of what each animal should look like! We stacked the cupcakes on pieces of cardboard and small cans (wrapped in animal print wrapping paper) in a pyramid. So it went cardboard, 4 small cans, smaller cardboard, 4 more cans, then smaller cardboard, then we filled in the area with all the cupcakes. It turned out great and the kids loved it and picking out their own cupcake. That way, they had their own individual cake and the birthday boy could have his own cake to stick his fingers in!

You could use tree branches spray paint them or leave them natural and buy some kind of hardening clay and flat little dishes for stand and the clay is the dirt were you will place plastic animals and birds hanging from branches. You could even make leaves from paper, crush them a little so they look real or cut branches with leave already on them. Or even cheaper go to Home Depo buy a bunch of small bushes for center pieces keep you receipt, and return them afterwards, they return plant living or not. As long as you have your receipt.

Answers:

Centerpiece Ideas for a Kids Birthday Party

Why not make cupcakes rather than a cake and put them on the "trucks?" Or you can perhaps Google or go to ask.com and ask how to make a cake that looks like a truck. I have seen extremely creative ways to make all kinds of cakes. In fact, you could make the cupcakes form a "caterpillar" and on the front one put eyes, nose and a mouth, and "surround" the trucks! (10/05/2010)

Answers:

Centerpiece Ideas for a Kids Birthday Party

If you know anything about cake decorating you can decorate the character Wyatt on a cake.Or you could make a color copy on your printer of the one that you posted. Then glue it to a light piece of cardboard and cut it out. Glue a straw on the back and stick it into the middle of a birthday cake.

Centerpiece Ideas for a Kids Birthday Party

MCW has the right idea, k.i.s.s.! It's more for you and family and photos, he won't remember, alas! I would use 2 craft sticks for strength and to keep cake from going up the straw. Enjoy every minute and don't feel you have to compete with TV "divas"! (08/06/2010)

Centerpiece Ideas for a Kids Birthday Party

This is a pretty simple looking character. You don't have to know much about cake decorating to make a cake that looks like him. Use a round single layer cake for the head, and cut out the body, arms, legs, and feet from a rectangular 9x12 cake. I would just ignore the cape part, but you could make the body that shape if you have to have it, or use a piece of cloth under the cake for it. Use an orangy pink icing for the skin. Just use regular buttercream icing. You can decorate the face with icing, or use candies, coconut, or string licorice for the hair, a marshmallow cut in thin slices for those big eyes, and blue candies for the pupils. You could make the mask out of paper if it looks too complicated to ice it in that pattern. Simplify the character. Your son is 3; he won't be critical! (08/06/2010)

I want a centerpiece idea for a birthday boy. He loves cars especially Lightning McQueen. His birthday is on June 12. Thank you.

Elena

Answers:

Centerpiece Ideas for a Kids Birthday Party

My daughter did "Cars" for my grandson's 4th Birthday. She went to the Party Store here in California and they had centerpieces already made up in the cars theme. They also had all the other stuff: tablecloth, cups, napkins. She also ordered an ice cream cake with the Cars theme. It was very cute and the boys just loved it. I hope this helps.

Centerpiece Ideas for a Kids Birthday Party

You could make a table runner out of a 6 inch wide strip of butcher paper, add chalk lines to turn it into a highway. Then, you might make a Route 66 sign out of posterboard, mount it on a piece of dowel rodding, and stick it into a half round of Styrofoam for a fun and simple centerpiece. Good luck and have fun. (06/03/2010)